Side dressing fertilizer spreader



Dec. 18, 1955 c, JOHNSON 2,774,318

SIDE DRESSING FERTILIZER SPREADER Filed Dec. 10, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l g j I i I :45 i

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Dec. 18, 1956 c. J. JOHNSON 2,774,318

SIDE DRESSING FERTILIZER SPREADER Filed Dec. 10, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR \M W Q N R RN om Dec. 18, 1956 c. J. JOHNSON s10; oasssmc FERTILIZER SPREADER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 10, 1952 IN V EN TOR.

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United States Patent SIDE DRESSING FERTILIZER SPREADER Clarence J. Johnson, Holmen, Wis. Application December 10, 1952, Serial No. 325,119

2 Claims. (Cl. 111-59) The present invention relates in general to improvements in the art of conditioning soil for agricultural purposes, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of mechanism for applying soil conditioning media such as fertilizer, lime and the like to farm lands.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved agricultural soil conditioning unit which is simple and durable in structure, and which is also highly flexible in adaptation and efiicient in use.

When applying fertilizer to agricultural plants arranged in rows, it is very important that the fertilizer be applied in close proximity to the plant roots on opposite sides of the rows. It is also desirable to inject the fe'rtilizer beneath the surface of the ground and to cover the same with earth after it has been thus applied. Then too, when applying certain types of fertilizers and soil or plant conditioners, it is frequently desirable to broad cast the treating material over the surface of the ground and'over the plants. Since the time available for the application of such materials is usually limited, the op adapted for convenient attachment to tractors having various types of draw bars.

It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide various improvements in equipment for rapidly and most efiectively performing all of the above mentioned functions, and which may be readily associated with any standard farm tractor.

which it will be noted that the gist of my invention is the provision of a portable fertilizer spreading unit capable of being attached to and propelled by farm tractors having diverse types of draw bars, and wherein the mechanism forcontrolling the flow of the [fertilizing material to the plants is operable by the advancement of the spreader assemblage along the ground while the fertilizer; is injected into the soil at the-opposite sides 'ofadjacent' rows of plants and is covered-by earth as the unit proceeds along the plant-rows.

A clear conception of the improved features constituting this invention and of the construction and operation;

of a typical fertilizer distributing unit embodying the same, may be had by referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. l is a rear and side perspective view of one of the improved side dressing fertilizer Spreaders;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same fertilizer spreading unit; 1

Fig; 3 is a bottom view of the same assemblage;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged top view of one of the fertilizer feeding mechanisms;

Fig. 5 is a central vertical section through the mechanism of Fig. 4, taken along the line 55;

Such treatment can be most'etfectively accoin- Another important object of the invention is to provide an improved fertilizer distributor or spreader which is especially adapted to perform side dressing of plants arranged in rows, by injecting the fertilizer beneath the soil adjacent to the opposite sides of the plant roots.

A further important object of this invention is to provide improved mechanism which is adapted to effectively cooperate with plants arranged in rows of different widths, and in which the delivery of the fertilizing material is readily controllable and adapted to be entirely interrupted at the will of the operator.

Still another important object of my invention is to provide a soil treating unit adapted to be drawn by diverse types of farm tractors, and which may be interchangeably utilized to either inject or to broadcast soil and plant conditioning or treating materials, and which may be conveniently converted from one use to another.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved side dressing fertilizer spreader of very simple and compact construction which may be manufactured and sold at moderate cost, and which may also be operated to simultaneously fertilize a pair of adjacent rows of plants.

Another object of this invention is to provide a side dressing fertilizer distributing assemblage in which the delivery of fertilizing material is controlled by mecha- Fig. 6 is a similar section through the flow control plate of the feed mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the flow control plate shown in section in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is anenlarged front view of the improved draw bar attaching device of the spreader unit;

Fig. 9 is a top view of the device shown in Fig. 8,

showing a simple tractor draw bar applied thereto in dotand-dash lines; 7

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation of a fertilizer broadcasting attachment adapted to be associated with the spreader unit, showing the position of the chain drives reversed from that shown in Figs. 2 and 3; and

Fig. 11 is a similarly fragmentary bottom view of the assemblage shown in Fig. 10. p v

While the invention has been shown and described as having been applied to a tractor drawn unit adapted to simultaneously side dress two rows of plants, it is not theintention to unnecessarily restrict the utility of some of the improved features by virtue of this particular embodiment; and it is also contemplated that specific descriptive terms employed herein be given the broadest possible interpretation consistentwith the disclosure.

Referring to the drawings, the improved side dress ng fertilizer spreading and distributing unit shown in Figs.

' 1 to 9 inclusive, comprises in general a transportable frame composed of'two oppositely outwardly directed side beams 14 rigidly interconnected by a forwardly extending end communicable with a fertilizer outlet 19 formed in its supporting base plate 16; a fertilizer distributing element or V-shaped trough lo swingably suspended from each of the pivot shafts 17 beneath the adjacent base plate 16 and extending rearwardly and downwardly from its suspension shaft toward the ground; a flexible tube 21' connecting each receptacle outlet 19 with the interior of the lower swinging endof the adjacent trough 20; arerrr s v hew s il, a... a V

a bar 30 i's'released; andjfrtilizer flow controllingmecha :nism-co'nfi'nedwithinteachfof the receptaclesj'ls and be t ing h perahle by the wheel 2 7 to regulate and control the delivery' of fertiliaing material through the outlets 1 9 'tothetroughs 20.

tar y transverse power shaft 22 journalled bearings 23 secured to the base platesm'ana having a bevel pinion 24 attached to each of its opposite ends; a pair of parallel rearwardly extending ar d downwardly. inclined sturdy beanis125 .swingably, suspended from the power shaft 22 adjacent to the bearings. 2-3, and having their lower rear 7 ends. interconnected by a rotaryiaiileshaft-26 to which is a secured a,wh eel127,.adapted-to ride upon the ground, while.

their medial portionsar'e also interconnected by a rotary countershaftv 28; a hand lever29 rigidly secured toone o f the bearns 25xand having thereon a pivoted latch bar 30- cooperahle with one of the frame beams 14 to hold the beams 25. and the wheel 27 away from the groundg a pair of le vers fil s wingably suspended from the pivot shaft s e ms i land b is ur, e vz cwi d y pr g 3 n's the grou'nd when the latch '17fand1coa ct' gawith Li-shaped brackets 32 secured ito' The opposite side beams l1 4 .of the main frame should be of sturdy construction, and thebase plates 16 and the draft'assernblage should be firmly-but;detahcahly-attachedto these b eams 14-,which may also be provided with dependingend plates 3g 5 ;in which'the pivot shafts17 arernounted and towhich the ass emblage 15 maybe struction as shownin detail in :Figs. 8 and 9, in order that cured thereto and is mounted in bearings 59 which are 7 also adjustable along the beams J25.

and the flexible tubes 21 which connect the receptacle outlets 19 with the interior of the lower trough ends,

"able along the beams, 25 The countershaft 28 which interconnects the medial'portions of the beams 25, has adjacent large and small sprockets 57, 58 respectively se- Another large sprocket-60 is secured to the power shaft 22, ,anda chain 6l drivingly' connects the sprockets 55, 57 while another chairi6 2 likewise connects the sprockets 58, 60, so that rotation of-the wheel 27 while in contactwith theground and when the unit is advancing, will impart rotation to; the power shaft 22. The wheel 27 is'preferably provided, with cleats 163; in order to insure positive driving and the adjustable; bearings 23, 5 9; facilitate proper tensioning of the,chains ,61, 62:. The handlever' 29 which isjigidly.

attached. The draft assemblage 15 is of improved con- 0 it rnay be attached totractor draw bars 36 disposed at various distances fromthe ground, aswell as to draw bars of diverse shape's. The assemblage 15 therefore consists of a pair of laterally spacedvupright angle ir'ons 37 6 7 a n ne'fia s aqin ti h spr d r frame 4 and provided with a series of holes 38, and a horizontal.

' draftplate 39 securedto andrspauningthe spacetbetween the angle irons 37 and provided witha large central opening ,40 disposed between, and rearwardly of two smaller openings 41; Thet'holes38 in v-the'angle irons 37 may-be utilized to fasten the'dra ft assernbl age 15 to the frame beams14 and inner plate's with the aid of bolts heb a k 35 35:;will act;;-quicl5;ly --to,loyver boththe wheel 27,and-the a 42 so as to position theplate 39 at any desired distance r from thejground, and thelarge opening w istadapte dto receive a large draft bolt 4 3 cooperable with a straight I drawgbar 36 asinFig. 9, while theitvvo smaller openings 41 are likewise adaptedto receive smaller bolts 44 which lt 'qope a w thJ h peddtawb s h a e p fr vided in some farm traetorslf Thej bolts-43, 44 cooperate with "a lower retainer platej45 to ;maintain the drawbars in position against the bottornof the, draft plate 3 9 and-the assemblagelS may thusbemade to cooperate with. all standard farm; tractondrawhars 36, ,The hajse plates 16 are seeurely'fastened to the heayysidebeams 14; ofthe main trarneby olt .6l en ing i fi na lfor d integral'gwithitheplates,16; 1 e 7 5;

TheiPQWdred fertilizer,receptacles 18 may be {tubular casings of ample, capacity the loyver open end f hi h attached to one fthe beams-ZE is also pivoted upon the, powergshaft- 22 s o ;that;a pull-on the handle ,of thislever il. ;raise.th: vhe n l -t o h 20 w y fromv the, gtoundahd the latch bar 30 willthen function to hold; ese t s el iets si h trwh nthe latch is releas h springs 35 a ssociatedwith the levers 31 which bearagainst.

2';and which are fastened, to the frame'plates qushsifl: t warsttth ro n Ece s: The fertilizer flow controlling mechanism which is con-4' fined within eaehdof there ceptacles' 18, is shown in detail;

in,Figs;; 4 to 7;inclusiye,f and 'eachlof these mechanisms: comprises janup ight shaft mountedin a central bear-1 ing 6 6 ofthe adjace tijbase plate 16 ]and having, a bevel gear 67 atits'lovgegend;meshingwith the adjacent'pinion 2 4, whileits upper endjis pierced by a transverse revolve b ;as. t tQr.Pi 1 8; and v ing disk r n rtheshaft 65 and resting upon the baselplater 16 vandtbeing p ov ded/Wit fan annul r r sio r p p j ons 1 7Q adapted tq travelover the adjacent outlet 19, the diskil 69 being otatable by;the ;revo lv ing pin6srthrough a.

, rir ii ti p n .lLs eured to'th'edisk- A regulating slide 72 having; bottom recessejs 73;;therein Fandwhich extends over the pathof revolution of thetdisk projections mf hgough -a slot 74in each baseplate, 16 and is adjust-f able-along; a shelf 75.formedjintegralwiththe adjacent i V plate; 16, isproyided with'anelongated adjusting'slot 76f.

snugly coactiwjth the adjacent base; plates 16 and 'are secured thereto by bolts 47, and theupper ends, of which are normally closed by covers, 43. Th'e upperends of 1 therigidrinclined V-shaped troughs-20am adapted to be 'firrnly clamp vdfto the adjacent pivotishafts 17 by-r'n'eans. 7 of clamping plates 49am bolts 50,;a hown;in Fi sfz; and'S; sov as to permit variationofjthe-distance between'fl the'two trou'ghs 2G inorder to confornrwith the spacing between the'pla t irows; and the lower, extremities; of the troughs Zilfare 'adapted to. d-rag'ialong the 'groundiand.

, to form v shapefdl'grooveslin the soilinearthe side rootsQ-tof the plants in the two adjacent rows 'while the :unit.

7 a is advancing. N The-lowerrend.portionof eachtrougli 20;is l provided with a: trailing spade, plate '51 swinga bly :sus-

I headed frorn ,apiyot-pin52and which is .coope'rableyvith V theadjacent lower' troughiend:.tot1cover the fertilizerj dehyered;. there from ,with earthlas theimachin'e. advances;

n w th; s elt 7 Carriedwbythe adjoin ng shelfz 75.; Eachslide 72 ;may; berradially adjusted'vvith respectf tothe adjacent rotating diskr'69 so jas to cover the'opene 111511 9 and;th e;reyolving projections more-or less, and i f rtit zen from t iihi l ach receptacle, 18.,to .theacorre j Y -When-th e impro ved sidedre'ssing fertilizerispreaderhasu beenprpperlyconstructedandtassembled as hereinabove, ,7 hidesoribed; Eitm aY-Vbieghitehed to the drawbar36 of:any.' standard farm tractor; and the troughs 20iishould bead-f justed';upon;thei1j%pivotshaftsill so, as'totproperlysc j ope te with'the roots of the plant'rows whileJthel-wheel'j 2751s eiding'upomthe ground midwaybetween thesetrows'.

'The receptacles ,18gshould be providedlwith ,a i 'a bundan t pnlyfi jpowdered commercial fertilizer, andasthe-Vunit' advances alduga thetground with .thelatch bar"30 released. I f

til hl t Whcl: 272811;! tr ughs .26, riding. alongithaspace; r

j between the adjoining plant rows,:controlledquaritities of ith'e, fertilizer-willjflow past thel'slidesf72 andth'e revolving disk projections-W through the openings '19; and tubes 2 l -and -irom the lower ends of the t'roughsltl by virtue spending trough 20 through theopening 19rand tube21. I v

of the rotation of the disks 69 through the chains 61, 62, shafts 22, 65 and gears 24, 67. The fertilizer thus deliv ered into the grooves near the plant roots formed by the lower ends of the rigid troughs 20 will be progressively covered with earth by the advancing spade plates 51, and the slides 72 may be readily adjusted to accurately regulate the quantity of fertilizer delivered to each row of plants by merely manipulating the wing nuts of the bolts 77. The flow of fertilizer may however be interrupted either by stopping the tractor, or by pulling the lever 29 so as to simultaneously raise the wheel 27 and the troughs 20 away from the ground.

The improved fertilizer distributing unit may also be utilized to broadcast fertilizer and other pulverulent plant and soil treating material, over the ground, with the aid of an attachment such as shown in Figs. and 11. This attachment comprises a substantially upright shaft 79 journalled in a bearing 80 carried by the medial portions of the beams 25; a rotary broadcasting disk 81 secured to the lower end of the shaft 79 in front of the driving wheel 27 and having thereon an annular series of vanes 82; a bevel gear 83 secured to the upper end of the upright shaft 79; and a bevel pinion 84 meshing with the gear 83 and being secured to the rotary countershaft 28 journalled in the bearings 59 carried by the beams 25. One or both of the flexible fertilizer conducting tubes 21 may then be directed toward the top of the distributor disk 81; and when the unit is being operated as a broadcaster with the wheel 27 riding along the ground, the chain 61 and sprockets 55, 57 will rotate the shafts 28, 79 and will cause the revolving vanes 82 to throw the fertilizer deposited upon the disk 81 by the tube or tubes 21 outwardly over the ground in all directions by centrifugal force. In this case the flow control mechanisms will also function to regulate the quantity of material being delivered to the broadcasting disk 81, and the rotation of this disk will be stopped whenever the wheel 27 is elevated away from the ground by the hand lever 29 and latch bar 30, or when the unit is stopped.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be app-arent that the present invention provides an improved fertilizer distributing unit which may be readily associated with and propelled by various types of standard farm tractors, and can be used effectively either as a side dresser or a broadcaster for fertilizer and other soil and plant treating materials. The improved draft assemblage enables the unit to be coupled to tractors having straight draw bars 36 or other forms of standard draw bars, and the propelling wheel 27 functions to actuate the fertilizer flow controlling mechanism when the unit is employed either as a side dressing outfit or as a pulverized material broadcasting device. The improved construction of the rigid fertilizer delivery troughs and of the spade plates 51 associated therewith, makes it possible to automatically bury the fertilizer at the opposite sides of the plants near the roots thereof, while the hand lever 29 may be manipulated to quickly stop the flow of material from the receptacles, and to simultaneously elevate the troughs 20 away from the ground. The troughs 20 may also be quickly and conveniently adjusted to accommodate plant rows having difierent spacings, and the spreader unit has proven highly satisfactory and successful in actual use.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction and op eration of the fertilizer distributor herein specifically shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a fertilizer spreader, a transportable frame, a pair of laterally spaced fertilizer receptacles fixedly mounted upon said frame and each having a rear lower outlet, a rearwardly and downwardly inclined fertilizer distributing trough suspended from said frame beneath each of said receptacles and each having its trailing lower end formed to travel beneath the ground to produce a shallow trench, means for effecting lateral adjustment of each of said troughs relative to the adjacent receptacle to vary the dis tance between the troughs, a flexible fertilizer conducting conduit connecting each receptacle outlet with the lower end portion of the adjacent trough for distribution of the fertilizer within said trenches, a plow blade carried directly by the trailing end of each trough for promptly covering the fertilizer deposited within said trenches, a rotary disk within each of said receptacles for controlling the flow of fertilizer through the said outlets, a transverse shaft journalled on said frame and connected by bevel gearing to both of said disks, a pair of laterally spaced rearwardly extending rigid beams having their front ends swingably suspended from said shaft between said receptacles, a ground engaging wheel journalled on the rear ends of said beams and propelled along the ground during the forward advancement of the frame, a drive for imparting rotary motion from said wheel to said shaft, a lever secured to at least one of said beams for elevating said wheel from the ground, and a spring coacting with said frame and with a medial portion of one of said beams for constantly urging said wheel toward ground engaging position.

2. In a fertilizer spreader, a transportable frame having thereon a transverse pivot shaft, a pair of laterally spaced fertilizer receptacles fixedly mounted upon said frame above said shaft and each having a rear lower outlet, a rearwardly and downwardly inclined fertilizer distributing trough swingably suspended from said shaft beneath each of said receptacles and each having its trailing lower end formed to travel beneath the ground to produce a shallow trench, means for effecting lateral adjustment of each of said troughs along said shaft and relative to the adjacent receptacle to vary the distance between the troughs, a flexible fertilizer conducting conduit connecting each receptacle outlet with the lower end portion of the adjacent trough for distribution of the fertilizer within said trenches, a plow blade carried directly by the trailing end of each trough for promptly covering the fertilizer deposited within said trenches, a rotary disk within each of said receptacles for controlling the flow of fertilizer through the said outlets, a transverse power shaft journalled on said frame and connected by bevel gearing to both of said disks, a pair of laterally spaced rearwardly extending rigid beams having their front ends swingably suspended from said power shaft between said receptacles, a ground engaging wheel journalled on the rear ends of said beams and propelled along the ground during forward advancement of the frame, a drive for imparting rotary motion from said wheel to said power shaft, a lever secured to at least one of said beams for elevating said Wheel from the ground, an arm swingably suspended from said pivot shaft and coacting with a medial portion of said beams, and a spring coacting with said frame and with a medial portion of said arm for constantly urging said wheel toward ground engaging position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 299,405 Kulp May 27, 1884 371,388 Smith et al. Oct. 11, 1887 1,053,944 Frantz et al Feb. 18, 1913 1,318,819 Ten Broeck et al Oct. 14, 1919 1,431,247 Nightingale Oct. 10, 1922 1,493,970 Dubois May 13, 1924 1,914,963 Stephens June 20, 1933 2,024,778 Ray Dec. 17, 1935 2,106,645 Moorhead Jan. 25, 1938 2,338,320 Donovan et al. Ian. 4, 1944 2,529,889 Sullivan Nov. 14, 1950 2,687,238 Tanke Aug. 24, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 638,172 Great Britain May 13, 1950 

